


Silver Lining

by Bioluminescent



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Cuddling, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Langst, Major Character Injury, Mild Cursing, Non-Consensual Kissing, Panic Attacks, Past Sexual Abuse, Pre Season 3, Referenced Slavery, broganes, it does end happily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 08:11:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11755662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bioluminescent/pseuds/Bioluminescent
Summary: A simple solo mission goes horribly wrong for Lance while everyone scrambles to get him out before it's too late.The Alteans also learn more about human culture.





	Silver Lining

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the tags on this before proceeding ahead guys. Trigger warnings for noncon kissing, references to past abuse experienced by Shiro in the Arena, and panic attacks. 
> 
> Now then, this was an idea that gripped my mind and would not let go until it was written, so here you go. Unbetad, so all mistakes are my own.

It was supposed to be a simple mission.

Simple enough that Allura thought only one paladin would have to go. Seeing as Keith and Shiro had been paired up to go talk diplomacy with a newly allied planet in a nearby system, and Pidge and Hunk were helping Coran do some major structural repairs on the Castle, Lance was the only one left to go.

But he knew he was fully capable of doing it.

All he had to do was sneak in, grab the package from the locker the Blade said their correspondent would put it, and sneak back out.

Easy peasy. Right?

Wrong.

So, so wrong.

“Hey guys?” Lance hisses into his helmet, flinching back from the sparks one shot made against the wall he was hiding behind as the Galra continued to fire relentlessly. The info packet bites uncomfortably into his skin under the armor, but he had it and that is all that matters.

Other than the unexpectedly large guard presence in this ship. And the fact that he is pinned down, nowhere near where he had entered the ship from the Blue Lion.

At a pause in the firing, Lance risks peaking out to see what is going on as his helmet crackles. “Lance?” Down the hall the Galra are pointing down intersecting halls and groups peel off. A sinking feeling rests in his stomach as he realizes he is going to be flanked and surrounded if he does not move soon. “Lance? What’s wrong?”

“There are too many guards. I need backup now, Allura.”

Without waiting for her response, Lance leaps out from his shelter, firing upon the now smaller group of sentries in front of him. They scatter, not expecting him to run straight towards them. One Galra reaches out with a clawed hand to grab at his armor as he streaks past and he blindly points and fires down the purple arm.

Blood splatters the side of his face as the body falls across the hall, tripping up some of the sentries as Lance bolts further into the ship.

“Allura! I need backup now!”

He can hear the frantic voices of Pidge, Hunk, and Coran in the background. “Sorry, Princess, but the Yellow and Green lions are locked in their hangars until we can fix the internal framework of the outer ship.”

“Can you hold out for a little bit longer while we get Shiro and Keith back to help, Lance?”

He grunts as his boots slide across the slick metal floor when he turns sharply down a narrow corridor, a shot from a Galra weapon just missing him. “Uh, depends on how long is a little bit longer.” 

Her response is lost in the cacophony of stampeding boots as Lance runs into a larger room. There lining the walls, is an entire legion of sentries. He turns, bayard up, as all the weapons surrounding him whine as they power up, barrels glowing purple. 

“How adorable.” Lance turns to face the Galra officer standing off to one side of the room. He sneers down at the sight of Lance and reaches out one hand. “You should hand over what you stole before someone gets hurt.”

“The only thing you’re hurting is my heart when you talk like that, baby.” Lance smirks as the Galra looks shocked for a second before clenching his hand into a fist.

“You will not be as flippant with your superiors once the Druids have had their way with you, Paladin.” The Galra flicks a hand and the sentries around the room collectively take one step forward. Lance flicks his eyes around the room, searching for a way out. The frantic calls of Allura in his helmet do not fully drown out the feeling of Blue settling into his head, sharing with him what she is going to do seconds before she does it.

The ceiling shudders massively above them as Blue rams into the warship. As the Galra go to get their feet back under them, Lance darts down a hallway to his left, ignoring the startled shouting behind him.

“Lance? Lan–”

“How’s that backup coming, Allura!” He interrupts, panting as he runs down numerous hallways, sparks flying as Blue continues her assault on the ship.

“They have just come back, they should be there in little more than ten dobashes.”

Lance yelps as he is hit from behind, tumbling to the ground in a heap. He scrambles around, his bayard coming up before it is roughly kicked away, a heavy boot connecting with his head as he watches it skitter across the floor away from them.

“You’ll have to be quicker than that –”

The air is kicked out of him again and he curls up, glaring up at the Galra officer from before.

The Galra grins down at him. “You’re not so confident now, are you?”

“More confident that your ass is going to be beat instead of mine.” Lance snarls at him, ignoring the startled gasps from the comms and Allura shouting at Shiro to hurry up.

Lance can feel Blue becoming more restless as she flies around the ship, her defense of her paladin limited as the ships defenses come to life. 

Another Galra shouts at the one above Lance from down the hall. “Captain Vorgat! The Blue Lion has greatly damaged our outer defenses! The escape pods are no longer able to be deployed!”

Vorgat sneers. “Then tell the men to keep to their defenses until death takes hold. I will take care of the Blue Lion.”

The other Galra nods before running back down the hall and Vorgat turns back to Lance, smirking.

Before Lance can prepare himself, he is viciously kicked in the head again, his helmet bouncing off the floor with a tinny thunk. Stunned, Lance is motionless as Vorgat reaches down and grabs him by the nape of his neck, dragging him down the hall.

“Lance, Shiro and Keith are coming!” All Lance can do is grunt. “Lance? Are you all right?”

Allura’s voice becomes more frantic as Lance does not answer her. Vorgat’s ears twitch violently before Lance is airborne.

Gasping at the sharp pain in his side, Lance wheezes from his position on the floor, flush with the wall he had just collided with. Vorgat crouches down in front of him, one clawed hand gripping his chin tightly.

“Maybe you can tell your little friends that they don’t need to come rescue you after all.” He reaches behind him with his other hand and slowly pulls out a large knife from its sheath, the metal screeching unpleasantly in the room. He gently traces the line of Lance’s jaw with it, slowly dragging it down the side of his neck. Vorgat leans in, his mouth resting close enough to Lance’s that he can feel his lips brush against his own. “Because he’ll be dead.” Allura gasps, and Lance sees Vorgat’s ear twitch, flinching when the galra chuckles. 

Icy fire shoots down his body as Vorgat slams Lance to the floor and straddles his hips, leaning down over him with the knife still held across Lance’s throat. His ribs scream as Vorgat presses their bodies flush together and a whimper breaks past his clenched teeth, coaxing more laughter from his throat.

“Lance!”

At Hunk’s shout, the room around them quakes. Vorgat ignores the falling ceiling beams to brutally press their lips together, nipping harshly at Lance’s bottom lip. The bite draws blood and a gasp from Lance, encouraging Vorgat to force himself further into Lance’s mouth. One claw clicks against his helmet, the sounds from the castle going frighteningly silent.

Blue roars in Lance’s head and the ship around them _moves_. 

Vorgat is flung off and lays stunned before shaking his head and standing above Lance again. The floor continues to shake as Vorgat stares down at him. He smiles and starts to resume his position pinning Lance to the floor.

Lance’s bayard rematerializes against his hip and he fires directly into Vorgat’s face.

Blood and bone showers over the floor and Vorgat falls next to Lance, half his face missing and his grin gleaming macabre in the emergency lights.

Lance turns away from the scene, his bayard falling to the floor and he retches, his ribs screaming at him and his throat burning with bile. The deep burning rage in his head he recognizes as Blue, and he knows she is pounding her way in to find him and protect him. The other heavy bangs on the hull outside the ship tell him that Shiro and Keith have finally showed up, but Lance does not consciously register that fact.

Instead he struggles to his feet, collects his bayard, and begins to limp away from Vorgat’s body.

He slides alongside the wall, one arm holding his ribs and the other clenched around his bayard. Black shadows begin to edge into his vision and Lance struggles to move faster and out of the depths of the ship. The rage from Blue turns into gentle encouragement as the ship begins to list in space.

Debris clutters his feet and Lance stumbles, screaming as his ribs collide with an untethered crate sliding around on the floor.

Red flashes across his eyes and he coughs, gasping for air. He can feel Blue reaching for him in his mind, but all Lance can feel is a horrible ripping in his body, his lungs burning worse than when he would swallow salt water as a child. He coughs again and he can feel the tackiness of blood coat his chin. The ship tilts and he slides on the floor, his armor bruising his side further. Lance reaches up to his chest, patting his armor as if he will be able to feel the information packet through the hard material.

Pain flares deep in his chest just as the wall next to him is torn wide open by the jaws of a lion. Lance almost sobs in relief, but he coughs once more as the lion gently takes him into its mouth, Shiro standing there to help him in.

Lance misses the look of panic and dismay on Shiro’s face as the Black Lion turns away from the Galra ship and speeds back to the Castle.

Gentle hands slide his helmet off and he hisses in pain, gasping as his vision whites out.

Dimly, as if he was standing on one side of a long, windy tunnel, he can hear Shiro shouting his name desperately. 

_“Lance!”_

 

*

 

Silence settles over the room.

Allura stares, pale faced at the paladins gathered around her.

Keith sits on one end of the sunken couch, furiously scrubbing at Lance’s bayard with cleaning solution. The rag and soapy bowl of water are tinged pink with blood, matching the pile of armor at his feet.

Hunk and Pidge are huddled on the other end of the couch, Hunk wringing his hands nervously. Pidge fiddles with a tablet, half heartedly scrolling through the info packet they had peeled off the inside of Lance’s chest plate. Kolivan stands behind her, uncomfortably frowning in the tense silence as they wait for Shiro and Coran to return from the healing bay.

Allura steps further into the room, leaning against the back of the couch, her head hanging down as she rubs her forehead with stiff fingers. Platt comes up to her and chirrups, rubbing his head against her hand when she reaches down to him.

She blinks against the image of Lance’s head rolling listlessly to the side as Shiro gently moved him to the stretcher Coran had brought, his eyes staring unblinkingly at the ceiling. Shiro had clearly removed all of Lance’s armor in the Black Lion, where Keith arrowed into after staring at his teammate in shock. Allura waited for him as Shiro helped Coran power up the stretcher and she watched as they began to jog to the healing bay. Stumbling out of the Black Lion a few dobashes later, Keith was pale but his arms were full of bloodstained armor. He slipped on the ramp down from the cockpit, frantically shaking his head as Allura moved to help him.

“Don’t. The floor is covered in blood.”

Her thoughts are broken as the door opens.

Everyone looks up as Shiro steps in, pale and looking close to tears. “Coran is setting up an alert for when he wakes up.”

The room relaxes at his words, Hunk letting out a sob of relief, Pidge resting her hand on his shoulder in comfort.

“When should he get out, Shiro?”

Shiro hunches his shoulders at Keith’s question. “Um. Coran said. He said.” Keith and Kolivan step slowly toward Shiro as he raises one shaking hand to cover his eyes. He heaves one breath before collapsing. Keith darts forward quickly enough that he can loop his arms around Shiro’s waist, cushioning his fall. Kolivan crouches in front of the two as Keith strokes his free hand through his tuft of hair, murmuring quietly to him. Shiro’s prosthetic arm curves around his stomach as he continues to choke on his words, his breathing ragged and uncontrolled.

“Shiro. You need to breathe.” Kolivan’s rough voice breaks over Shiro’s rough breathing, startling him enough to cough out a breath. “You said yourself that Lance would be alright when he wakes. Right now, we need you to breathe.”

Slowly, Shiro’s breathing slows as Keith continues to rub his back, everyone ignoring the few choking sobs that come out from the curled ball on the floor. After softly murmuring to him, Keith slips one of Shiro’s arms over his shoulders, helping him get up off the floor. Kolivan reaches out, and after a questioning look at Shiro, catches his other arm and helps support him until they settle him onto the couch.

Keith sits next to him as Kolivan kneels down before Shiro, ducking his head to look into Shiro’s face. He nods at whatever he sees and grabs one of the water pouches from the table and hands it to him.

“Drink all of this.”

Nodding, Shiro lets out a shaky breath and sips slowly at the pouch.

Allura looks around the room and sees Hunk and Pidge clutching each other, teary eyed. 

The door opens with a sudden swoosh, Shiro flinching out from under Keith’s hand, his hand starting to gently glow. “Well, everyone! Looks like – oh.” Coran freezes in the doorway, quickly tucking his hands behind his back. He surveys the scene in front of him and his face softens as he sees Shiro hunched on the cushions. “I’m sorry for startling you, Shiro.”

Shiro shakes his head. “It’s fine.” 

Coran raises one skeptical eyebrow at his rough voice, but chooses to believe him for the moment.

“Now, good news everybody!”

Hunk practically launches himself across the room, shaking Coran’s shoulders. “Oh my god, is Lance going to be alright? How long is he going to be in the pod?”

“Yes, Hunk, Lance is going to be fine.” Hunk sighs in relief, choosing to sit on the floor directly in front of Coran. “As to your other question.” Coran glances at Shiro. “Are you alright with me saying this, my boy?”

He chuckles roughly. “Well, somebody ought to be able to tell them. Go ahead.”

“Mmm. Yes.” Turning back to the room, Coran settles himself, his shoulders stiffening before he breathes out sharply. “Lance’s injuries are severe enough that he needs to remain in the pod for about, oh, six quintents.”

Hunk stares up at Coran in disbelief. “Six. Quinents. Six quintents. Oh my god.” He laughs. “I can’t believe this.” Pidge looks at Hunk in concern as he stands from the floor, still laughing quietly to himself. 

“Hunk?”

“It’s alright, Princess. I’m just gonna – yeah, I’m gonna go.” Everyone watches as Hunk moves around Coran, heading down the hall with his head hanging down. His soft laughter echoes in the darkening halls. The door shuts behind him with a soft hiss.

Allura glances at the mice as Pidge stands as well. “He’ll probably be in the kitchen. I’m gonna go and check on him.” The mice scramble up her sleeve and settle down on her shoulders as she follows Hunk out the door.

Slowly, Shiro drags himself up, accepting Kolivan’s hand for support. “I need to do something. I can’t just sit around.”

“Would you perhaps like to spar?” Shiro nods at Kolivan’s soft question, helping him stand in turn. “I shall have to get my things, but I will meet you in the training room shortly.”

The two depart together, leaving Keith staring down at the pile of half washed armor.

Stepping forward, Allura shoots a glance at Coran before speaking. “Keith, are you alright?”

At the glare Keith levels in her direction, Allura steps back, startled at the fire blazing in his eyes. “Just like everyone else on the team, no I am not alright.” He snarls in her direction, standing so quickly Lance’s armor shifts in its pile. “And if you aren’t shaken by your supposedly easy mission, then you fucking should be, Princess.”

Before Allura can say anything in response, Keith has stormed out of the room.

“But, I –”

“Leave it, Princess.” Coran rests a hand on her shoulder. “They have all been shaken by what happened to Lance. Keith’s anger is understandable.” At the look on her face, he sighs, rubbing across her shoulders gently. “Maybe you can find us a sector to stay in for the duration of the healing time? So everyone can relax and worry accordingly in peace.”

Allura nods and strides from the room, already thinking of remote places the Galra Empire has not already gotten to for her paladins to rest and heal.

Once the door closes behind her, Coran brings his other hand out from behind his back.

He was able to wash most of the blood off his hands before he came to update them about Lance’s condition, but some still remains under his nails, and his skin is tinged slightly pink. A quiet beeping breaks the silence and he pulls out his small tablet linked with Lance’s healing pod.

In critical, but stable, condition, Coran knows Lance will make it out of the pods. But he also knows he may have to bar the paladins from the healing chamber due to the white healing suit being marred by large patches of blood.

 

*

 

Coran does in fact have to bar the paladins out of the healing chamber after Hunk has a panic attack at the sight of Lance in the healing pod, covered in blood and partially healed wounds.

After that, Coran ensures that each of the paladins individual tablets has access to the same display his does, showing Lance’s vitals, brain activity, and a small bar showing the progress of his healing. He catches them looking at it multiple times throughout the days as exceedingly delicious smells emanate from the kitchen as Hunk cooks, Pidge helping where she can.

Keith and Shiro join Kolivan in the training room more often than is probably healthy, but Coran does not prevent them from doing that.

Instead, he has multiple hushed conversations with Allura about what they heard over the comm from Lance on the Galra ship. The pained gasps and screams, as well as what Captain Vorgat did to Lance are worrying to them both. Lance’s split lip did not pass by either of them, even in the frenzy of getting Lance safely into a healing pod. Following his gut feeling, Coran tracks down Shiro one quintent before Lance should be released from the pod.

“Ah, Shiro, I was hoping I would find you here.”

Shiro looks up from where he was practicing with his bayard in the training room. Keith and Kolivan are talking in one corner of the room and barely glance in his direction when he enters.

“Do you mind if we talk somewhere else, Shiro?”

Shiro nods and follows Coran out of the training room to one of the plush side rooms which used to be used by officers waiting for a mission or the training room to be free. Waving Shiro past him, Coran slides into the bench across from him, lightly tapping the panel next to the opening until a door slides shut, light leaking through it from the hall.

Regarding this with a raised eyebrow, Shiro watches as Coran fiddles with the lights so the room turns into an airy nook.

“What did you want to talk about, Coran?”

Coran sighs. “I wanted to talk to you about Lance and some, _things_ , he may have experienced on the Galra ship.”

Shiro’s amusement quickly dries up and he looks at Coran. “Go on.”

“Well, you heard everything that we did over the comms.” At Shiro’s nod, Coran continues. “And there were certain things that led to myself and the Princess coming to the conclusion that Vorgat paid uncomfortably close attention to Lance.” A haunted look settles over Shiro’s face and he refuses to meet Coran’s gaze. “My boy?”

He takes in a shuddering breath. “When I was with the Galra, it was not exactly uncommon for certain prisoners to be admired by some Galra. Only the more powerful Galra were able to actually do anything about their interests.” Shiro crosses his arms, scowling lightly. “Those who were successful in the arena were taken into account more often than others.”

Coran leans forward. “I am so sorry to bring these memories up, Shiro. But I am only asking because Allura and I are unsure in how we should act around Lance about this topic.”

Nodding, Shiro stares at the table in front of him. “If he wants to talk about it to someone, he will talk to them about it. I want to tell you not to bring it up unless he does, but this is Lance. He doesn’t exactly share his deeper feelings with people willingly at times.” Coran hums in agreement, twirling his mustache around one finger. “But let him have some time to talk to someone about it. If he doesn’t, then we can try and help him get through it.”

“I shall tell her your advice.” Sliding to the end of the bench, Coran opens the door before turning back. “And Shiro?” He waits until Shiro looks at him. Coran gives him a soft smile. “If you ever need to talk to anybody about these things, do not be afraid to ask.”

Startled, Shiro nods, one side of his mouth twitching up as Coran slips into the hall. Sounds of combat leak from the training room, and he leaves them alone to go in search of Allura.

 

*

 

When Coran leaves to go and ensure Lance is released safely from the healing pod, the paladins have made massive progress in the common area.

Piles of pillows rest in the sunken pit along with numerous blankets. Allura had helped in stringing wires from the walls and ceiling to create the base for the addition of more blankets, creating a cozy cave in the middle of the room.

The project had started when Hunk had brought up stories of him and Lance making these ‘blanket forts’ as children together as well as in the Garrison. Pidge had perked up and dragged Keith along in her collection of materials, leaving behind Shiro to explain to the two Alteans the purpose behind these forts. The increased comfort of humans with a soft cave intrigued Coran and he happily aided in the preliminary trips to begin the building of this fort.

But when his tablet beeped at him, he left with all five pairs of eyes glued to his back. Before the door closed behind him, he heard the activity reach a frantic pace, as well as Hunk and Pidge ordering the others around to ensure maximum comfort would be reached for Lance.

Entering the healing chamber, Coran looks at Lance as he rests in the pod.

A remarkable difference from when he was first put in, all his injuries had healed, including the massive concussion he had gotten on the ship. His suit was still stained red, and Coran vowed that would be the first thing to go once Lance was released.

With a few ticks to go, Coran went about placing Lance’s clothing in an easily reached spot, neatly folded by Hunk’s hands. 

A soft whoosh was the only sound made by the pod as it released its hold on Lance and he tumbled forward. Coran caught him easily, murmuring to him as he helped Lance regain his footing.

“There there, you’re safe in the Castle of Lions, Lance, no need to panic.” Lance groaned and shoved his head into the crook of Coran’s neck, clutching at his shoulders. “Are you in any pain, Lance?”

“No.” Lance straightened, moving stiffly as Coran supported him. “How long has it been?”

“Long enough for your body to heal itself just right, my boy!” Lance follows Coran easily to the nearby bench, stumbling over his feet a few times, but overall steady on his feet. “Now, let us get you out of that suit.”

Coran efficiently helps Lance out of the healing suit and into his regular clothes, noticing as Lance stares at the stains, his brow furrowed at the sight. The distant look in his face that tells Coran the Blue Lion is communicating with her paladin fades once Lance realizes what he is dressed in.

“Coran, why am I in pajamas?”

“That is because your friend have made something called a blanket fort and maximum comfort must be achieved for this!”

Lance chuckles as Coran begins to lead him out of the healing chamber and to the common area. Coran walks slowly as Lance leans against him, his eyes beginning to droop.

The door opens to the common area and Lance brightens visibly at the sight of the blanket fort. As they duck in, Coran spots multiple floating plates steaming in the air, clearly the efforts of Hunk in the kitchen.

“Lance!” Hunk springs up, taking Lance from Coran and crushing him in a giant hug that Lance eagerly returns.

Everyone in turn gives their relieved greetings, and Coran surveys the scene.

Hunk and Pidge, both dressed in comfortably worn looking sleep shorts and shirts, chattering away at Lance from the middle of the blanket puddle, passing food around the fort. Shiro wallows happily in a particularly thick section of pillows, his prosthetic resting on the seats above them, the mice curled around his stump comfortably. He grins at Pidge in thanks as she hands him a steaming cup, the scent of the Olkari equivalent of Earth tea fragrantly filling the air. Keith sits next to Lance, silently offering his shoulder to rest on as Lance begins to droop, his laughter being broken by multiple yawns, his usual rough pants replaced by sweats and a ratty t-shirt. Even Allura has changed into sleeping clothes, her traditional dress exchanged for a similar style to Pidge and Hunk.

“Come on Coran! You have to join in too, and you can’t do that in your regular clothes.”

Coran smiles down at Lance and his outstretched hand. “I will, but first I would like to check that everything is alright in the nearby system before anything else.” As Lance’s face falls, Coran quickly adds, “But I will of course be back in my sleepwear.”

The walk to the control room is quiet, the castle humming softly as his footsteps echo slightly in the halls. 

A quick check and the alarm turned on, and then Coran heads to his room to change into his own sleepwear. More closely resembling the sleepwear of old Altea, his pants swirl around his legs lazily as he makes his way back to the common area.

The room is silent when he walks in, and as he slips under the entrance blanket, he understands why.

Sandwiched between Hunk and Shiro, Lance is splayed in the middle of the blankets, one arm flung haphazardly across Shiro’s chest, clutching at Keith’s wrist. The other is wrapped around his head, the mice dozing in the crook of his arm. Hunk has both his arms wrapped around Lance’s waist, overlapping where Shiro’s arm rests on his chest. Biting back a snicker, Coran watches as Keith snuggles closer to Shiro’s back, his hand tightening around Lance’s before he settles back down into sleep. Pidge and Allura are curled into each other against Hunk’s back, their hands clasped between them. 

Coran dims the twinkle lights in the fort and carefully steps over the pile of limbs before settling down above their heads. Allura meets his eyes and smiles sleepily, shifting tighter around Pidge and reaching her free hand out to grab his own. Plachu grumbles briefly about the interruption before curling up neatly on Coran’s chest, ignoring the betrayed looks from the mice near Lance.

Soon, the only thing that fills the air is the sound of soft breathing and the quiet hum of the castle around them.


End file.
